


Understand

by AcidicPrince



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angry Tony Stark, Hurt Tony Stark, Oblivious Steve Rogers, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Tony Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-26
Updated: 2017-06-26
Packaged: 2018-11-19 10:10:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11311203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AcidicPrince/pseuds/AcidicPrince
Summary: After meeting back up with the hidden Avengers, Tony is keeping to himself, not wanting to explode and show weakness to the people he once thought of as family. The rest of the Avengers don't understand his sudden withdraw though and are oblivious to his bitterness towards them. They're finally beginning to settle in again when Tony loses it.Or Tony being salty, Steve not understanding, and Rhodey wishing Tony would just let it go even though he knows he never will.My first fic~





	1. Angry Mother

During the blow up of the Avengers' "Civil War" in the media, Tony Stark was in the middle of working tirelessly to pardon the vigilantes. Fighting against Ross to lessen the blows he was willing to throw at them if, and when, they returned. As far as the public knew, after the airport scene went down the Captain's team had been captured but they had barely been in for 72 hours before someone had broken them out. Most likely Steve Rogers. However, they know even less of what happened to Tony. They found out he had disappeared for four days but nothing else. Most assumed he had taken a break to run away from his problems.

While the team was spilt down the middle so were the people. Half of the US was praising Stark for finally changing his arrogant attitude and deciding to follow rules, while the other half were bashing him for trying to incriminate Captain American of all people. When it came out that Tony was working on dispersing their sentences though, the ones against him only got harsher. They would say that he was only try to sway their anger. That was also the ex team's opinion, but when it came out that they had been fully pardoned they were honestly just happy to be going home.

A private jet, sent from Stark Industries, came to Wakanda to transport the Avengers back to the States five days before they knew they were going back. From outside the whir of the engine thrummed and could be heard from the common area of the palace that Steve and his merry band had been staying in. When Pepper Potts stepped off the jet in her sleek, professional suit and six inch, crystal blue heels her head was held high and her eyes were sharp and searching. No on followed her off the plane, not even a body guard or assistant.

Clint glanced through the floor to ceiling windows wondering who from out of the country would be allowed clearance to land right in front of the Wakandan palace. His eyes widened, vaulting over the couch he stumbled into the hall where all the bedrooms branched off of and stormed through Steve's door. 

"Steve!" He yelped as he slammed straight into his Captain's chest.

"Barton? What is it? I heard a jet landing, are the Dora Milage back?" 

"Stark! That freaking snake found us, I thought we weren't supposed to be heading back to the US until next week but apparently we're leaving right now because Pepper just stepped off that Jet!" He said in a whispered rush, though he'd rather be out there giving Stark a piece of his mind.

Steve looked at him for a moment, a strange mix of emotions crossing his face. "Tony..? How- How could he have found us? I mean I know we were going to tell him in a few days... Do you think T'Challa called him?"

"He never lost track of you." Came a new voice from the doorway.

Both men whipped around to be met with Pepper's heated glare, her arms delicately crossed, one hand clicking her nails together and the other gripping a thick file. Her hair was slicked into a tight pony tail and her eyes were lined in a thin black that made them look dangerous. Clint sucked in a breath and took a step forward so that he was almost right in front of her.

"You know, I don't know how you can walk on wood floor in those monstrous heels and not be heard but next time don't eavesdrop." He said in a not very inviting tone.

"It's not like I broke in." She said innocently just as T'Challa appeared from around the corner. His features were stern but his clothes were rather casual compared to what he usually wore, so this wasn't an SI business trip. Obviously.

"Ms. Potts, it's nice to see you... Did Tony stay on the jet?" Steve asked hesitantly, almost like he was afraid of something.

"It's nice to see you too, Steve, and no he stayed home, a very busy man. So I'm here instead to transport you back to America." 

Clint glanced back at Steve out of the corner of his eye, then at T'Challa suspiciously. "You said..." He started, speaking to Pepper, "'He never lost track' of us... What does that mean? He couldn't possibly have known where we've been this whole time and not have sent Ross after us." His eyes flickered back to the king who had so far just been listening. "Unless... you had something to do with it?"

"I did not contact Mr. Stark concerning any such matters. Now if you would please, Ms. Potts has come a long way and at the moment, until you return to the United States, will be acting as your handler. Whatever she says goes." He shot Clint a knowing looking, tilted his head in Pepper's direction and walked off down the hall. 

"Thank you T'Challa." Pepper called softly after him.

"My pleasure."

Once the departing footsteps were barely heard Pepper turned back to the men in front of her then crooked a finger at them to follow and started off down the hall as well. Without looking back to see if they were coming she knocked on every door she passed by and as she continued the other avengers began filtering out of their rooms. 

"Pepper?"

"Ms. Potts what are you doing hear?"

She didn't answer so they decided to follow. They ended up standing next to the giant private jet that she had arrived in. She gestured towards it and said, "Here is where you will meet within the next ten minutes. I am transporting you all back to the US and if you are even one minute late I will leave without you. I am the only person permitted clearance to land within Wakanda at this time so be sure that if you miss this flight you are not coming home any time soon." She made eye contact with each of them; Steve, Clint, Wanda, Sam and Scott, her gaze piercing. "I have only one rule while you are flying with me and that is do not, under any circumstances mention what transpired within the last six months. I do not care, and I am prepared to drop you off in the middle of the Atlantic ocean if you so much as mouth one negative thing toward Anthony Stark. Am I understood." She spoke the last sentence, not as a question, but as a command.

"Yes ma'am." The team all spoke together, feeling as if they were being chastised by an angry mother.

"Good. Now go pack. Ten minutes."


	2. Not Quite Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once back in America the Captain's team are left to settle in, but catch Tony off guard because even he thought that they would be arriving in five more days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, right now Bucky isn't really part of the story but he'll probably come in later.

Once settled on the jet Pepper counted heads like a kindergarten chaperone and made sure each one of their belongings were secured. Once everything was sorted out she walked to the front of the jet, where the open cockpit was and sat down in the pilots seat. The avengers glanced at each other worriedly and decided Steve should speak up.

"Um, Pepper?" He started cautiously, he really didn't want to spend the next few hours swimming back to America.

"Yes, Mr. Rogers?" She replied, her tone steely as she flipped several knobs at once and turned important looking switches.

Steve fiddled with his hands and stared at the back of her head awkwardly. "Not to be rude, but um- where- uh where's the pilot?"

"I am the pilot, Steve."

Scott spoke up, "But um, you're the SI CEO... Shouldn't you have like, I don't know, your private pilot and driver or something? Do you even really know how to fly it..?"

Pepper abruptly stopped what she was doing, her head lifting. Clint glanced between Steve and Scott frantically because honestly, even to a group of super humans and heroes, Pepper Potts was terrifying. She slowly spun around in her chair to face them, legs crossed and hands clasped in her lap with pursed lips. She eyed Steve warily. 

"You think, that the CEO of a robotics and electronics company, who has several out-of-country meetings doesn't know how to pilot a simple jet?" She asked slowly. "And, if you were even barely paying attention to my announcement earlier you would have heard me say that at this time I am the only outside person who is allowed to travel over Wakandan borders, aside from you bunch." She raised a perfect eyebrow at Steve.

The rest of the trip was eerily silent.

\---

They landed at the airport with a limousine waiting just twenty feet from where they got off. The team quickly gathered what little they had brought and climbed in awkwardly while Pepper slid into the front seat with grace, lightly placing the think folder she had been holding earlier onto the center console. Just as the limo started to move she reached her arm back and closed the window that separated the driver's space and the passenger's without even glancing back at them. They could see her turn her heard towards the driver and talk and then laugh like they were good friends. They probably were to be honest.

The team sat in a comfortable silence for most of the trip, watching the familiar city of New York whiz by the tinted windows. After about fifteen minutes Pepper opened the little window again and turned slightly in her seat so that she could face them. 

"As you know you'll be staying at Stark tower again-" She began, but Wanda cut her off.

"Stark's!? No! We did not know we'd be staying here! How was this even on the list?" 

Pepper completely ignored her and suddenly Wanda remember the one rule she had and shut her mouth. "Sadly you won't each be getting your own floor like before though that can change. Right now we only have room to spare three floors with you, there are two bedrooms on each and the floor in the middle will have the common room, kitchen and a few extra rooms Tony wanted to add for you."

"What do you mean 'wanted to add'? Why would he give us more then he has to?" Clint asked.

Pepper mulled the question over for a second before sighing and saying, "Well if you haven't forgot he is the one that managed to get you pardoned and he really doesn't even have to let you stay in the Tower but for your information, Barton, he added a gaming room for you and an indoor pool for Romanov."

"Natasha's here? Why didn't she call?" Steve asked at the same time Clint said, "Sounds like Stark, throwing around money to make everything better, when it doesn't." Steve shot him a look that Clint just sighed exasperatedly at. "It's true." He said a bit irritated.

Pepper stared at him long and hard and then just shrugged. "It's true." She aimed at Steve. "However, aside from the money flaunting he is trying his best. And he is sorry."

Clint opened his mouth, no doubt to say something mean and sarcastic but Steve cut him off with a quiet "Don't."

Pepper had turned back to the front just as the car came to a stop in front of Stark tower. It honestly looked a bit dim, like half the lights weren't on. It was especially surprising to see the giant STARK logo not glowing in the late evening, it seemed like something Tony would look after so that his aesthetic or personal image wasn't tarnished. The team stepped out of the limo, heads down to keep from getting noticed, gripping their luggage tightly.

Pepper led them to the front desk, slid behind it and wrote something down and then brought them over to the elevator. As she pressed the UP button curiosity got the best of Steve. "Why isn't anyone here?" He asked, looking around the strangely empty public floor that was usually bustling with people.

"I thought it would be best if the tower wasn't full when you came back, just so you weren't swarmed or so that the reporters didn't whisk you away. Plus Tony has been giving our service staff days off when he knows there won't be anything big going on in the Tower." She responds, not meeting his eyes which seems strange but Steve drops it.

They all shuffle into the elevator when the doors ding and open and for about thirty seconds there's a painfully uncomfortable silence. Once the doors slide open again they all come out in heap following Pepper close behind because this place looks nothing like before and it'd be humiliating to get lost in a place they once lived in for three years. 

Pepper stops suddenly in the middle of a large room full of plush couches and giant televisions that are mounted on the walls. There's a couple book cases around but they only have a handful of books on them. Off to the right there's a half wall that separates this room from what looks like a kitchen.

"This is the mid floor, your common area and your kitchen is off to your right, fully stocked. There's two bedrooms down the hall. The floor above us is also yours, two bedrooms, a mini kitchen and essentials, same for downstairs." She waves her hand off behind us somewhere, "Down the corridor we came from there's a branch off that leads to the pool Natasha requested and the game room. Since you're all adults I'll let you pick where you'll be staying." She began to walk back from where they came from, "Once you've chosen a room just ask Jarvis for the Credentials Pack and he'll give you your debit cards, each with 500,000 on them, and an ID and an SI badge so you can navigate the tower." She glanced back at them for a moment before asking "Any questions? No? Good." 

The team weren't even able to open their mouths before there was a slight thump and the scatter of papers just from down the hall and around the corner with a whisper-yelled "Tony!" Followed by a louder, "Sorry, Sorry, God Pep I'm going insane! Why are you on this floor? I've been looking everywhere for you, did you know that our German branch is up my ass cause I accidentally translated the word 'salt' wrong on their Stark phones?" 

Without thinking Steve muttered an exasperated "Language" and everything went silent.

The team held their breath, waiting for Tony Stark to come around the corner with his dazzling smile and be his usual arrogant self. But he never showed. After a few tense moments the ding of the elevator doors opening could be heard and then the swish of them closing, along with the soft clap of heels hitting the floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More Tony centered stuff in the next chapter


	3. Fun Sized Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve just wants to speak to Tony, maybe even find out why he didn't come greet them yesterday when he had come to find Pepper.  
> Tony doesn't want to speak to him though.  
> Also, Harley Keener.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have an incredibly soft spot for dad Tony because c'mon, he'd be a great dad.

Tony was sat in the workshop, hands fumbling with intricate hardware, when he gave up with an irritated sigh and threw the piece of circuitry onto the messy lab table. At the moment he was trying his damn near hardest to completely ignore the fact that the man who had inadvertently paralyzed his best friend, the man who had plunged his father's shield into his arc reactor, the man who had left him in Siberia with no power or suit: that man was sitting on a nice plushy couch in what was basically his home. 

He had told himself, promised himself, that he wouldn't freak out or break down when Steve goddamn Rogers waltzed back into his house with his merry band of do-gooders. But he's pretty sure that right now he was breaking those promises. His phone began blasting out an old rock song that was too garbled to understand but nonetheless he jumped at the sudden break of silence and scrambled for his phone that was across the lab between Dum-E's wheels for some reason, probably ended up there from when he stormed into the lab and threw it in a random direction. The excited robot was trying to bend it's claw down to grab it but without the flexibility it'd never be able to.

"Hey, hey! No, back UP, not forward! Don't crush it!" Tony yelped as he bent down and quickly snatched to phone off the ground so his fingers wouldn't get crushed under Dum-E. He raised the phone up to his ear after swiping the screen. 

"Uh Stark here."

"Hey Tony, can I um... Can I stay with you for a while?" Harley Keener? Of course he'd somehow find a way to contact him again. Smart kid.

Glancing at the ceiling and thinking about how the other people in the tower would react to a kid like Keener staying there he asked cheekily, "Any particular reason you wanna stop by or do you just miss Dad number two?"

"Oh well... I kinda used the thing you gave me on some kid at school and got suspended and then when I went back to school I showed off the potato gun with the adjustments you told me to make and it kinda broke a rib... ribs of a teacher.. and now I'm like ninety nine percent sure they're gonna expel me..."

Tony was basically shocked silent at that. Had he caused this kid to get kicked from his school? 

A fresh wave of guilt crashed over him.

"Okay, y-yeah sure kid, you asked your mom right?" 

"Of course yeah, yeah she said it would be a 'great opportunity to live with someone at Mr. Stark's level and amount of genius.' But if you want my opinion I think she just wanted me out of her hair." Harley said sullenly.

Tony's heart clenched painfully at that. "Okay sure, when do you want me to come by and steal you? Monday? Tuesday?" He asked, already thinking of people he could higher as a home school teacher and planning the lay out of Harley's room or floor.

"Now would be nice." Harley said.

"Oh."

There was a few breaths on the other side of the line before a quiet, "But, I mean, you can wait if it's not a good time..."

Tony rushed to correct him, "No! No, Harley I was just planning out your floor but I guess if you come right now you could help too. Or maybe you could stay in my pent house if you want, I'm never up there. Nice view but I like sleeping down in my lab more anyways. I'll have to order a debit card to be made for you and a security pass to be made before we get back but whatever I'll just put Jarvis on that-"

"Thank you, Tony." Harley cut in, his voice wobbly.

Tony blinked and awkwardly said, "Yeah, no problem kid. ETA fifty minutes if I take my suit. Or I could take a jet and be there in a few hours..."

"Suit definitely, I wanna ride on the back. Plus I don't have much to bring so I won't weigh you down."

Tony's chest clenched again. "I'm on my way Harley."

\---

Once they got back to the tower Tony set Harley down carefully on the landing pad and let the armor be stripped off of him. Harley's hair was wild and his eyes were big and teary from how fast he had been flying, even though it was slower than usual.

"That was fucking amazing." He breathed out, clutching tightly to the little backpack he had brought.

"Hey, watch it with the nasty words, didn't your mom even tell you about the bar of soap?"

"Nope." Harley replied simply, a giant grin on his face.

"God, you really are my kid." Tony chuckled and stuck his hand in the kid's hair just to fluff it up more. "C'mon, I'll show you to your room."

He lead him into the penthouse and up to the next half floor where the bedroom was with a bed bigger than king size and with a closet and bathroom that were probably bigger than most apartments in New York.

"Nice." Harley said as he flopped down unceremoniously onto the enormous bed. "Whoa this bed feels like it's never been used. Do you not sleep or something? Are you actually a vampire?"

"I actually don't think I have ever used that bed before, I usually take power naps in the lab."

"Not healthy~" The kid whispered as he rolled around.

Tony rolled his eyes ad mumbled, "Psh, you're not my mom." Harley laughed at that and let out a long breath before completely relaxing in starfish mode. Tony began backing out of the room and jerked a thumb over his shoulder saying, "I'll, uh, just be downstairs, got to tell Pepper my kid just moved in." Just as he turned around he was met with a hard, broad chest and Tony bounced back a few steps. He could see Harley move to sit up out of the corner of his eye, suddenly defensive.

He looked up to be met with bright blue eyes and took another step back, 'cause why not? It totally wasn't a flinch that turned into a stumbled retreat.

"You... Have a kid?" Steve Rogers asked incredulously.

Tony straightened up and went to block Harley from Steve's view only to find out that the kid was now standing right behind him. He threw his arms backwards and held Harley close to his back, not putting it past Rogers to try and throw his new fun-sized friend off the roof.

"Well now I do.." He replied cautiously. Steve looked even more bewildered at that.

"You- Now you do? What does that- actually never mind. Sorry to uh, drop in on you I just wanted to say hi... And maybe find out why you didn't come say hi yesterday..?" 

Tony slowly loosened his protective grip on Harley and looked at Rogers questioningly. "I didn't know you guys would be coming in so early. From what I was told it was going to be another five days. Don't worry, Rogers, you just caught me by surprise." He brushed off the question easily enough and without waiting for Steve's response he maneuvered Harley in front of him, grabbed the kid's little bag and made their way to the elevator.

"I wanted to show the kid here something so we'll b-be down in the uh lab yup, bye."

Steve turned to say something but the elevator doors just closed faster thanks to Jarvis.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't hate Pepper but I'm not the biggest fan of her either so I'ma just make her a total Tony protection squad member in this even tho she's really not in the mcu


End file.
